1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locks, and particularly to a remotely actuated door lock.
2. Description of the Related Art
Access to secured locations is typically controlled by the use of locks that prevent the opening of access ports, doors or gates. Such locks are typically keyed or combination-controlled locks, where the lock will only open when the proper key or combination is used. Coded locks, where a key code is input to a control module and the control module signals or triggers the opening or dosing of the lock, are also known. For keyed, combination or coded locks, though, actual physical access to the lock is required for the opening or closing thereof. In other words, the user must be physically present to use the key or enter the combination or code.
There are numerous situations in which a user desires to either lock or unlock a door remotely. For example, if the user is traveling and wishes to allow access those who are still local to the secure region of interest, it would be both convenient and secure for the user to be able to remotely unlock the lock without leaving a copy of the key, or without providing the combination or code to others. Although remote systems for unlocking and locking of doors are known in the field of vehicle doors and locks, such systems are still intended for relatively local use, with a limited range on the order of meters.
Further, such lock actuation systems are limited in their functionality, only allowing the user to lock and unlock the door, but without providing additional security features. If a user is traveling or is otherwise far from the secure area, it would be desirable to provide the user not only with remote locking and unlocking capabilities, but also with an integrated alert system, allowing the same system to be used for sending notifications to the user when unauthorized access is detected.
Thus, a remotely actuated door lock solving the aforementioned problems is desired.